Kathy Park's book reading and art show is December 6

(11-22-2011)

ALAMOSA (November 22) - A thoughtful, creative, insightful artist, of many mediums, Kathy Park's first published book Seeing Into Stone carves out Park's life as a sculptor. She is hosting a book reading with an in-depth interview, book signing, and mini art show of sculpture starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the Alamosa Hospice del Valle, located at 514 Main Street in Alamosa, Colo.

"The subject explores flaws," Park said, "flaws in stone, my own physical flaws in vision, flaws in my (then recent) marriage (to fellow artist Henry Woolbert) - and how to work with flaws and come to terms with the unattainability of perfection."

Park apprenticed for many years through the 80s with the granite sculptor, Gordon Newell. During the time of her apprenticeship she was also adjusting to her recent marriage to Woolbert. They lived in the ghost town, Darwin, in the Mojave Desert in California. The book includes compelling narration of the characters found in the tiny desert town, descriptive prose of the beauty in the area, and Park's personal and artistic journey.

"Carving is all about subtraction," Park said. "You cannot add back on once you take it off. It takes a lot more courage to sculpt than many other art forms." Chiseling away, Park has lead a life worth reading about and Seeing Into Stone forms images with words to delight and engage the reader.

"I broke a lot of pieces," Park added. "Gordon was an unusual teacher." His methods included a glass of sherry, reciting a poem by Robinson Jeffers, and perhaps commenting 'some of my best work came from broken stone' as he walked away from a frustrated Park. She describes Newell as "gentle, not one to intervene."

Park said "Seeing Into Stone" was the subject of her creative work since declaring her major in creative writing at Adams State seven years ago. She continued to work on the book through her graduate program. She mentions her Adams State mentors, Professors of English Dr. Carol Guerrero-Murphy and Aaron Abeyta, as huge positive influences.

An Adams State adjunct professor English, Park received her Bachelor of Arts degree in creative writing with a minor in theatre from Adams State College in 2007; three years later she completed her MFA in non-fiction creative writing from Leslie University in Cambridge, Mass. Since the fall of 2010, Park has taught general education English course as an adjunct professor of English for Adams State. She also teaches the occasionally creative writing workshop, like last spring's Writing the Ten Minute Play.

Park said finishing the book is "very satisfying and terrifying." Seeing Into Stone is available on Amazon and Park's website dreampowerartworks.com.